Preparedness for paid- and self-employment: perceptions amongst Ekiti State University agricultural students, Nigeria

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kamal Adekunle Abdu-Raheem
Keyword(s):  
Soft Skills ◽  
Study Data ◽  
State University ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Individual Interviews ◽  
Curriculum Review ◽  
Self Employment ◽  
Convenience Sampling ◽  
Agricultural Students ◽  
Graduate Unemployment

PurposeGraduate unemployment in agriculture is a serious challenge in Nigeria. Literatures suggest two arguments explaining this. First, the skills possessed by graduates are mostly incompatible with the needs of industries; second, universities produce more graduates than required. Focussing on universities as the source of change to address these two arguments, the purpose of the study was to examine the case of Ekiti State University agricultural faculty. The study investigated students' perspectives regarding their motivations for choosing agriculture over other disciplines, training received in critical thinking, innovation and soft-skills and their courage and willingness to undertake self-employment upon graduation.Design/methodology/approachThe study adopted a qualitative research design to collect and analyse data from a case study. Data were collected through semi-structured individual interviews with 42 respondents from amongst the Ekiti State University final year B. Agric agricultural students that totalled 108. Seven of the respondents were purposively selected following recommendations from their lecturers due to their bright academic performances. Others were chosen using convenience sampling.FindingsThe study found that students preferred other science disciplines to agriculture and only ended up studying agriculture out of frustration of not gaining admission into their preferred fields. Students generally denied ever undertaking any training in critical and soft skills either as courses on their own or through the teaching methods adopted in other courses. Respondents generally expressed willingness to undertake self-employment but expressed lack of confidence to do so solely based on their little practical exposure and lack of access to basic resources like finance and land.Research limitations/implicationsOnly agricultural students of Ekiti State University were sampled; hence, the results is not generalisable to other disciplines in the university or to all Universities in Nigeria. Convenience sampling was used because access to all members of the sampled population at the same time was not possible due to different timetables for lectures for the various disciplines and non-readiness of some students to be interviewed for lack of interest or for commitment to other engagements.Practical implicationsThe study practically implied that the theoretical training offered to agricultural students of Ekiti State University needs to be balanced with practical exposure, such that students gain enough confidence to practice what they have learnt upon graduation to earn a living.Social implicationsThe study revealed that there is need for curriculum review for agricultural studies at Ekiti State University in a way that will accommodate relevant practical trainings for students to make them suitable for either hired employment or self-employment upon graduation.Originality/valueThe author hereby declares that this manuscript is the author's own work and it contains, to the best of the author's knowledge, no materials previously published or written by another person. The author has no idea of an in-depth study of this nature that has been done to analyse the gap between the training received by agricultural students in Universities and the skills required to make them capable for hired employment or self-employment upon graduation from universities.

scholarly journals Contribution of academic tutoring for the teaching-learning process in Nursing undergraduate studies

2018 ◽  
Vol 71 (suppl 4) ◽  
pp. 1596-1603
Author(s):  
Erlon Gabriel Rego de Andrade ◽  
Ivaneide Leal Ataíde Rodrigues ◽  
Laura Maria Vidal Nogueira ◽  
Dilma Fagundes de Souza
Keyword(s):  
Learning Process ◽  
Social Transformation ◽  
Descriptive Study ◽  
Study Data ◽  
Qualitative Approach ◽  
State University ◽  
Vertical Transfer ◽  
School Of Nursing ◽  
Individual Interviews ◽  
Teaching Learning

ABSTRACT Objective: to analyze the perceptions of professors and students on academic tutoring. Method: descriptive study with a qualitative approach, carried out at the Magalhães Barata School of Nursing, State University of Pará, Brazil. Twenty-seven professors and 32 students participated in the study. Data were collected through semi-structured and individual interviews, using different scripts for professors and students. For analysis, the technique of content analysis was used. Results: we defined three thematic categories: academic tutoring as a tool for strengthening teaching-learning; academic tutoring as a possibility of intellectual and social transformation; and reflections of academic tutoring in nurses’ training. Final considerations: the teaching-learning process is referred to as a process in which there must be dialogue, and in which professors, students, and tutors learn with each other, breaking the traditional paradigms of unilateral and vertical transfer of content. Academic tutoring stands out as promoter and strengthener of this process.

Entrepreneurship education and undergraduate students' self-employment intentions: do paid employment intentions matter?

2020 ◽  
Vol 62 (7/8) ◽  
pp. 741-757
Author(s):  
Innocent Otache ◽  
Dorcas Omanyo Oluwade ◽  
Ele-Ojo Jeremiah Idoko
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Career Guidance ◽  
Entrepreneurship Education ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Self Employment ◽  
Paid Employment ◽  
Graduate Unemployment ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

PurposeUndergraduate students have two opposing employment intentions, viz. self-employment intentions and paid-employment intentions (SEIs and PEIs). While a plethora of studies have explored the links between entrepreneurship education (EE) and SEIs, it has been noted that previous studies have ignored the effects of PEIs on the relationship between EE and SEIs. The purpose of this study, therefore, is to empirically explore the effects of PEIs on the relationship between EE and SEIs.Design/methodology/approachThis study adopted a descriptive research design and a self-reported questionnaire was administered to collect data from a randomly selected sample of 95 accounting students from two polytechnics in Nigeria. To test the hypotheses formulated, partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was performed using SmartPLS.FindingsThe results of Model 1 showed that EE had a significantly positive link with SEIs. On the other hand, the analysis of Model 2 revealed an inverse relationship between PEIs and SEIs. Furthermore, it was observed that the impact of EE on SEIs did not only reduce significantly when PEIs was added to Model 1 but also the relationship between EE and SEIs that was erstwhile statistically significant became nonsignificant.Practical implicationsThe findings have implications for EE curriculum developers, governments and career guidance counsellors.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors' knowledge, this study is the first to provide empirical evidence of the effects of PEIs on the relationship between EE and SEIs. The findings provide important insights into the fundamental issue, which underlies the problem of graduate unemployment.

Entrepreneurship education and undergraduate students’ self- and paid-employment intentions

2019 ◽  
Vol 61 (1) ◽  
pp. 46-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
Innocent Otache
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Entrepreneurial Intentions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Self Employment ◽  
Paid Employment ◽  
The Government ◽  
Graduate Unemployment ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to conceptually explore the relationship between Entrepreneurship Education (EE) and undergraduate students’ self- and paid-employment intentions. Specifically, the paper aims to examine the effect of paid-employment intention on the relationship between EE and self-employment intention. Design/methodology/approach This paper reviewed extensively related literature on EE, entrepreneurial intentions and the theory of planned behaviour (TPB). The detailed literature review undertaken formed the basis for the development of the conceptual framework. Findings It is found that undergraduate students have two opposing employment intentions within them, namely, self- and paid-employment intentions. The two employment intentions interact and have a tendency to dominate each other, and consequently lead to different employment behaviours. The dominant employment intention determines whether a graduate will exhibit self- or paid-employment behaviour. This confirms that graduates are faced with two career paths or choices, namely, self- and paid-employment. Research limitations/implications It is not an empirical paper. Thus, the conceptual framework needs to be further empirically tested. More specifically, the proposition that undergraduate students’ paid-employment intentions moderate the impact of EE on their self-employment intentions needs to be empirically validated. Practical implications This paper provides some insightful and practical implications for the government and the policymakers in the education sector, particularly in tackling the menace of graduate unemployment and its associated problems. It provides an insight into the problem of graduate unemployment. The government and the policymakers should initiate enlightenment programmes that will reorient undergraduate students away from having the mentality of securing paid-jobs after graduation. Equally, undergraduate students should be enlightened about the difficulties in securing paid-jobs and the benefits of being a self-employed graduate. Originality/value It is the first to explore the moderating effect of undergraduate students’ paid-employment intentions on the relationship between EE and their self-employment intentions. Therefore, it makes a valuable contribution to the existing literature on EE and entrepreneurial intentions. It further strengthens the TPB by applying it to explain how undergraduate students’ paid-employment intentions could neutralise the impact of EE on their self-employment intentions.

scholarly journals Haemophilus ducreyi Infection Induces Activation of the NLRP3 Inflammasome in Nonpolarized but Not in Polarized Human Macrophages

2013 ◽  
Vol 81 (8) ◽  
pp. 2997-3008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei Li ◽  
Barry P. Katz ◽  
Margaret E. Bauer ◽  
Stanley M. Spinola
Keyword(s):  
Nlrp3 Inflammasome ◽  
Interleukin 1 ◽  
Study Data ◽  
Human Infection ◽  
Haemophilus Ducreyi ◽  
Inflammasome Activation ◽  
Microbial Infection ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Ulcer Disease ◽  
Caspase 1

ABSTRACTRecognition of microbial infection by certain intracellular pattern recognition receptors leads to the formation of a multiprotein complex termed the inflammasome. Inflammasome assembly activates caspase-1 and leads to cleavage and secretion of the proinflammatory cytokines interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) and IL-18, which help control many bacterial pathogens. However, excessive inflammation mediated by inflammasome activation can also contribute to immunopathology. Here, we investigated whetherHaemophilus ducreyi, a Gram-negative bacterium that causes the genital ulcer disease chancroid, activates inflammasomes in experimentally infected human skin and in monocyte-derived macrophages (MDM). AlthoughH. ducreyiis predominantly extracellular during human infection, several inflammasome-related components were transcriptionally upregulated inH. ducreyi-infected skin. Infection of MDM with live, but not heat-killed,H. ducreyiinduced caspase-1- and caspase-5-dependent processing and secretion of IL-1β. Blockage ofH. ducreyiuptake by cytochalasin D significantly reduced the amount of secreted IL-1β. Knocking down the expression of the inflammasome components NLRP3 and ASC abolished IL-1β production. Consistent with NLRP3-dependent inflammasome activation, blocking ATP signaling, K+efflux, cathepsin B activity, and lysosomal acidification all inhibited IL-1β secretion. However, inhibition of the production and function of reactive oxygen species did not decrease IL-1β production. Polarization of macrophages to classically activated M1 or alternatively activated M2 cells abrogated IL-1β secretion elicited byH. ducreyi. Our study data indicate thatH. ducreyiinduces NLRP3 inflammasome activation via multiple mechanisms and suggest that the heterogeneity of macrophages within human lesions may modulate inflammasome activation during human infection.

Impact of training on entrepreneurial intention: an interactive cognitive perspective

2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (6) ◽  
pp. 593-616 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fayçal Boukamcha
Keyword(s):  
Training Program ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Entrepreneurial Intention ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Cognitive Perspective ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Success Stories ◽  
Self Employment ◽  
Entrepreneurial Training ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – This paper aims to clarify the impact of the entrepreneurial training on a Tunisian trainee’s entrepreneurial cognitions and intention. An interactive cognitive perspective was adopted to test the interaction effect between the entrepreneurial cognitions: the perceived entrepreneurial self-efficacy, the perceived entrepreneurial feasibility and entrepreneurial desirability. A research model was built showing several relationships between entrepreneurial training, cognitions and intention. Design/methodology/approach – A survey was conducted on a convenience sample of 240 participants in four business incubators. The maximum-likelihood test was used as a structural equation modeling method to test the model. Findings – The results show the importance of the entrepreneurial training in the development of entrepreneurial cognitions. Further, the findings, to some extent, validate the interaction between the entrepreneurial cognitive patterns. However, entrepreneurial intention was only predicted through the entrepreneurial desirability. Several implications are discussed at the end of this paper. Practical implications – The findings seem interesting insofar, as they show the importance of entrepreneurial trainings in the entrepreneurial intention development through the enhancement of desirability. This process can be triggered by a training program that contains case studies, success stories and conferences to make the youth enthusiastic about self-employment. Originality/value – The significant impact of the entrepreneurial training on trainees’ cognitions should encourage governments and incubators to promote entrepreneurial training programs to enhance the youths’ willingness to create their own businesses. The findings in this paper seem interesting insofar as they show the importance of entrepreneurial trainings in the entrepreneurial intention development through the enhancement of desirability. This process can be triggered by a training program that contains case studies, success stories and conferences to make the youth enthusiastic about self-employment.

Measures of success for self-employed mothers in Spain

2015 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 128-145 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia Gabaldon ◽  
Celia De Anca ◽  
Concepcion Galdón
Keyword(s):  
Linear Regression Analysis ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Holistic Approach ◽  
Financial Indicators ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Self Employment ◽  
Employed Mothers ◽  
Time Use Survey ◽  
Alternative Measures

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate alternative measures to better understand and measure success for self-employed mothers in addition to the usual financial indicators. Design/methodology/approach – The present study is a comparative analysis of time spent at work and undertaking childcare by female workers with children in Spain between 2009 and 2010, using a combination of descriptive statistics and linear regression analysis based on the Time-Use Survey 2009-2010. Findings – The results of the paper indicate that self-employed working mothers tend to spend more time with their children when these are under the age of ten, and that they work longer hours than salaried mothers. Research limitations/implications – This paper has some limitations due to the quantitative approach to secondary data. Further qualitative research could clarify some of the findings; moreover the study is based on Spain, so extending to other countries would help validate the results. Social implications – Policy makers, in general – but more specifically in high unemployment scenarios – can facilitate self-employment for both men and women to reduce unemployment and to offer workers the prospect of a more balanced life. Originality/value – This research contributes to the existing literature, which fosters a more holistic approach to the analysis of female-run ventures by measuring performance using not only economic indicators, but also personal achievements.

Growth of research journals in India during last decade (2005-2014): an overview

2017 ◽  
Vol 36 (4) ◽  
pp. 143-154 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramesh Pandita ◽  
Meenakshi Koul ◽  
Shivendra Singh
Keyword(s):  
English Language ◽  
Uttar Pradesh ◽  
Study Data ◽  
New Delhi ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Journal Publishing ◽  
The Past ◽  
Research Journal ◽  
National Science ◽  
New Research

Purpose The purpose of this study is to reflect a growing trend toward the introduction of new research journals in India. The study focuses on the number of journals introduced in India during the past decade, namely, for the period 2005-2014. Some of the key aspects analyzed include year-wise distribution of journals introduced, cumulative and annual corresponding growth of newly introduced journals, publishing form of journals, namely, online, print and hybrid. Some other aspects studied include distribution of journals on the basis of language, periodicity, state, etc. for both online and print journals. Design/methodology/approach To undertake the present study, data were retrieved from the official website of the National Science Library, New Delhi, and the analysis is based on the number of ISSN numbers issued by the National Science Library New Delhi during the period of study. Findings A total of 15,631 research journals were introduced in India from 2005 through 2014. Compared to 4,954 (31.69 per cent) online journals, 10,614 (67.90 per cent) print journals were introduced in India during the past decade, depicting print as the larger medium of journal publishing in India. During the period of study, research journals in India grew annually at 31.44 per cent. New Delhi, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh emerged as the three leading research journal publishing states of the country, while 82.86 per cent journals are published in English language and a maximum 32.52 per cent journals are published on a quarterly basis. Originality/value The study is first of its kind undertaken in India.

Building a digital marketing internship program for technology-based start-ups: an exploratory study of student experiences

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Russell Merz ◽  
Jamie Ward ◽  
Sufian Qrunfleh ◽  
Bud Gibson
Keyword(s):  
Factor Analysis ◽  
Language Processing ◽  
Exploratory Study ◽  
Study Data ◽  
Student Experiences ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Student Interns ◽  
Internship Programs ◽  
Blog Posts

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to describe the role and characteristics of the summer internship program (Digital Summer Clinic) delivered by Eastern Michigan University. The authors report the results of an exploratory study of interns participating in the Digital Summer Clinic over a five-year time period. The study captures and analyzes the experiences of interns as expressed in structured interviews and blog posts.Design/methodology/approachThe study data were text from structured interviews and blog posts capturing the “voice” of the interns. A natural language processing (NLP) analysis of the text corpus, consisting of 43 interviews and blog posts, resulted in the identification of 242 unique stem-terms used by interns in describing the internship experiences. The authors used the JMP Pro 15.2 Text Explorer algorithm (It is defined as a suite of computer programs for statistical analysis developed by the JMP business unit of SAS Institute) to extract the terms that were subsequently transformed and analyzed with factor analysis and regression to address the research questions.FindingsThe factor analysis results found six dimensions or themes, defined by the stem-terms used by student interns, best described the internship experience. The authors then explored the relationship between the six themes and the umbrella term “internship” with multiple regression analysis. The regression findings suggest a hierarchy of effects with the theme “Introducing Professional Opportunities” being the theme most predictive of the umbrella term.Originality/valueThe methodology used within the paper is unique in several ways when compared to other research investigating internship programs. First, it uses NLP analysis for the qualitative analysis of text-based descriptions of student experiences over a five-year time horizon. Second, the data analysis uses transformed text to quantitatively determine the major dimensions or themes expressed by the interns about their experiences in the Summer Clinic program. Finally, the relative importance of the themes identified provided direction for future program development.

Do intraday week effect in currencies hourly trading reflect leverage and asymmetric anomalies? Policy implications for traders

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wajid Shakeel Ahmed ◽  
Muhammad Sohaib ◽  
Jamal Maqsood ◽  
Ateeb Siddiqui
Keyword(s):  
Emerging Economies ◽  
Garch Model ◽  
Study Data ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Asymmetric Effect ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Rational Choices ◽  
Trading Pattern

Purpose The purpose of this study is to determine if intraday week (IDW) effect of the currencies reflect leverage and asymmetric impact in currencies market. The study data set comprises of intraday patterns of 15 currencies from developed and emerging economies. Design methodology approach The study applies the exponential generalized autoregressive conditional heteroscedasticity (E-GARCH) model technique to observe the IDW leverage and asymmetric effect after introducing hourly dummies variables, namely, IDWmon, IDWwed, IDWfrid and IDWfrid-mon. Findings The study results favor the propositions and confirm that IDW effect do exist in the international forex markets in relation to hourly trading pattern for respective currencies. Mostly, currencies do depreciate on Monday and Wednesday compared to the rest of the days. However, on the last trading day, i.e. Friday currencies observe an appreciation pattern which is for both economies. The results have an evidence of leverage and asymmetric effect confirmed by the E-GARCH model as a result of press releases and influence by micro-factors in the currency markets. Practical implications The study believes to have theoretical connection related to the better understanding of currencies trend for developed and emerging economies, as the IDW effect exists. Moreover, confirmation of both the leverage and asymmetric effect in observed currencies would be able to assist the investors in making rational choices during the trading hours and would confirm considerable profits through profit incentivized strategies. Originality value The study not only add knowledge to the previous study work in relation to the hourly trading pattern of currencies with reference to the IDW effects but also highlights the leverage and asymmetric effect in currencies that will help in formulating future trading strategies particular to emerging economies.

Perceived instructional requirements of hard skills trainers and soft skills trainers

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Interpersonal Relations ◽  
Soft Skills ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Instructional Skills ◽  
Train The Trainer ◽  
Training Requirements ◽  
Subjective Perceptions ◽  
Hard Skills ◽  
Knowledge Content ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate whether hard-skills trainers and soft-skills trainers have different perspectives regarding the instructional skills and knowledge they require. Design/methodology/approach From the previous training literature the authors used 14 items covering relevant instructional knowledge and skills in a questionnaire which was applied online. Following an exploratory factor analysis a one-way multivariate analysis of variance [MANOVA] was conducted with the training content being the independent variable and the training requirements being the dependent variables. Findings Soft-skills trainers and hard-skills trainers differed in the variety of instructional methods and in their emphasis on interpersonal relations and interactions, group management and communication. Those trainers with train-the-trainer certificates did not differ significantly from those who did not have them. Trainers with a university degree in educational science/psychology were more likely to teach soft skills than hard skills but did not agree more with the relevance of instructional skills and knowledge than those without such a degree. Research limitations/implications The authors note that the results reflect the subjective perceptions of instructional requirements by trainers rather than objective requirements which would need to be tested by other means. Practical implications This study has a range of practical implications including the importance of skill and knowledge content and that of the trainers' perceptions in determining the extent to which what is learned is transferred into day-to-day work. Originality/value Previous literature has given little attention to the content of training and it has been unclear how this might affect learning and its transfer.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document